Lightweight portable stage

ABSTRACT

A self-contained mobile stage system for outdoor performances that is transportable with a light tow vehicle, and with features for easy deployment by one person alone. The mobile stage trailer includes a chassis having a pair of decks, including an upper deck and a lower deck vertically spaced apart from the upper deck. A retractable hitch assembly is coupled with the chassis for coupling the trailer with the tow vehicle. A wing deck is coupled with the chassis at each lateral edge. The wing decks are selectively positionable in a first favored position proximate the upper deck of the chassis portion so that the upper deck and the wing decks together present an upwardly directed surface for performances. The wing decks are further selectively positionable in a second favored position for towing wherein the system presents a system width dimension generally equal to the width of the chassis alone.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Serial No. 60/416,954 entitled “Lightweight Portable Stage”,filed Oct. 7, 2002, hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention is directed to a portable stage, and moreparticularly to a lightweight mobile trailer based stage that is towablewith a light vehicle and that can be deployed and used by oneindividual.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0003] Outdoor speeches, concerts, and other public performances arecommonplace in everyday life. Often, these performances are by anindividual performer, or a small group of performers, before a smallaudience. It is usually advantageous for the performer to be positionedhigher than the audience on a platform or stage for better visibilityand sound quality.

[0004] Numerous examples of portable stage assemblies have beenpreviously disclosed in the art. One example of a previous portablestage assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,680 to Quam. Theportable stage platform disclosed therein has a performance platformwith a plurality of collapsible legs coupled to the underside of theplatform. This device may be relatively difficult to use on unevenground such as may be encountered at some outdoor venues, however,because it rolls on casters and does not have provisions for towing by amotor vehicle.

[0005] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,501, a modular portable stage system isdisclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,501 is commonly owned by the owners ofthe present invention and is hereby fully incorporated herein byreference. This portable stage system includes a number of standardizedmodular components that can be used to construct a platform that iseasily adaptable to a wide variety of designs. The components, althoughcollapsible or capable of disassembly, must be individually set-up andare not packaged so as to be easily deployable by an individual.

[0006] Some prior devices have been built on a trailer, towable by amotor vehicle. One example of such a prior device is disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 3,620,564 to Wenger, et. al., which patent is commonly owned bythe owner of the present invention and hereby fully incorporated hereinby reference. Other examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,442 toRau, et. al., reissued as U.S. Reissue Pat. No. RE34,468, U.S. Pat. No.5,152,109 to Boers, U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,709 to Decker et. al., U.S. Pat.No. 6,176,495 to Decker, each commonly owned by the owner of the presentinvention and likewise fully incorporated herein by reference. Yetanother example is the portable stage disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,393,769 to Mertik, et. al. These are generally large and heavydevices, however, and typically require relatively heavy vehicles fortowing and transport. Also, their large size and weight makes deploymentby an individual difficult.

[0007] Previous smaller scale trailer based mobile stages have likewisenot been entirely satisfactory. Even with a small stage, it is typicallydesirable to carry accessory items for use with the stage, such asrailings, access stairs, skirting and the like. Musical performances mayrequire bulky or heavy items such as large audio amplifiers and lights.Exhibits, such as for art fairs and festivals, may involve significantamounts of merchandise and bulky display structures. Previous smallmobile stages typically have had no, or very limited, ability to carrythese items, requiring them to be transported in the tow vehicle orseparately.

[0008] What is still needed is a small-scale self-contained mobile stagesystem for outdoor performances transportable with a light tow vehicle,with features for easy deployment by one person alone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention substantially meets the needs of theindustry by providing a small-scale self-contained mobile stage systemfor outdoor performances transportable with a light tow vehicle, withfeatures for easy deployment by one person alone. In the invention, amobile stage trailer adapted for towing by a light tow vehicle includesa chassis having a pair of decks including an upper deck and a lowerdeck vertically spaced apart from the upper deck. A hitch assembly isoperably coupled with the chassis for selectively coupling the trailerwith the tow vehicle. A wing deck is operably coupled with the chassisat each lateral edge of the chassis. The wing decks are selectivelypositionable in a first favored position proximate the upper deck of thechassis portion so that the upper deck and the wing decks togetherpresent an upwardly directed surface for performances. The wing decksare further selectively positionable in a second favored position fortowing wherein the system presents a system width dimension generallyequal to the width of the chassis alone.

[0010] The portable stage of the present invention may be capable ofdeployment in outdoor locations having uneven or soft ground. Theapparatus includes a lightweight chassis having a structural frame anddeck with high load-bearing capacity and low deflection. The stage has adeck for transporting cargo and another deck that forms a portion of theperformance surface of the stage. The stage may have one or morefold-out wing decks that may be alternately configured in an positionfor towing, and in a performance position substantially co-planar withthe upper deck of the chassis. The fold-out wing deck portions may alsobe optimized for light weight, high strength and low deflection. In theperformance position, the wing portions enlarge the performance surfaceof the stage. The lower deck provides cargo space to securely store andtransport accessories and other items that may be needed for aperformance.

[0011] The portable stage of the present invention is easily deployedand used by an individual. The stage is lightweight, making it easilymaneuverable by an individual by hand, and may be towed with a lightduty vehicle such as an automobile or light truck. Lift assist means areprovided to assist an individual in raising and lowering the wingportions. All supports and jacks for leveling and stabilization of thestage apparatus may be operable by an individual without assistance fromothers.

[0012] The stage may be used with other portable stage assemblies toform larger performance surfaces and may also be used with modularportable stage components. The hitch assembly is removable orretractable to facilitate attachment of the stage to other portablestages or components. In addition, a variety of accessories, such as alightweight overhead weather covering, access stairs, and guardrails maybe used with the stage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013]FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the lightweight portable stageof the present invention with the stage configured for towing;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the stage configured for towing;

[0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view depicting a selectively positionablestage leveling jack positioned in a stage transport position;

[0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the stage leveling jack of FIG. 3,with the jack positioned for leveling the stage;

[0017]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a front portion of the portablestage depicting a retractable hitch assembly in the extended position;

[0018]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the retractable hitch assembly ofFIG. 5, depicting the hitch in a disassembled and retracted condition;

[0019]FIG. 7 is a top cutaway plan view of the retractable hitchassembly in the extended position;

[0020]FIG. 8 is a top cutaway plan view of the retractable hitchassembly in the retracted position;

[0021]FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view of the stage depicting deploymentof the wings from a folded-up towing or transport position to afolded-down performance position;

[0022]FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of an adjustable length legassembly according to the invention;

[0023]FIG. 11 is a cut-away cross section view of a portion of theadjustable length leg assembly depicted in FIG. 10;

[0024]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a cargo tie-down track andtie-down ring assembly;

[0025]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of tie down track cover stripsfitted into the cargo track of FIG. 12;

[0026]FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the chassis portion with thewings in the folded-out position;

[0027]FIG. 15 is an view of a corner portion of the stage;

[0028]FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of the clamp portion of adetachable railing in an initial stage of installation on an edge of thestage;

[0029]FIG. 17 is a side elevation view of the clamp portion of thedetachable railing in intermediate and final stages of installation onan edge of the stage;

[0030]FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of the portable stageassembly and accessories in a fully deployed configuration; and

[0031]FIG. 19 is a view of the stage with a weather protective canopyinstalled thereover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] Portable stage 20 according to the present invention generallyincludes main portion 22, and a pair of wing portions 24, 26 connectedto main portion 22 with hinges 28. Main portion 22 generally includeschassis 30 and wheel assembly 32. Chassis 30 generally includes upperframe 34 and lower frame 36, which are spaced apart and secured togetherby uprights 38. Upper frame 34 and lower frame 36 may be constructedfrom hollow metal shape stock, preferably rectangular tube stock. Eachframe 34, 36, has a pair of side rails 40, which are spaced apart atopposite sides of the frame 34, 36. Lateral support members 42 spanbetween the pair of side rails 40. Purlins 44 stabilize and providebracing for lateral support members 42. Upper frame 34 supports upperdeck 46, which presents a portion of performance surface 48. Lower frame36 supports lower deck 50, which presents cargo surface 52. Cargo area54 is defined between upper deck 46 and lower deck 50. It is mostpreferred that upper deck 46 be positioned at about 36 inches aboveground level when stage 20 is deployed.

[0033] Cargo surface 52 may be fitted with suitable tie-down points 56for securing items of cargo. For example, as depicted best in FIG. 12,one or more slotted tie down strips 58, commonly known as “airlinertracks” may be fastened to cargo surface 52. One or more ring assemblies60, which are adapted to cooperate with tie down strips 58, may beinserted as depicted in FIG. 12. Tie down straps 61 may then be loopedthrough the ring assemblies 60 and around the cargo to be secured, whichmay be accessories such as railing section 214. A layer 62 of ahigh-friction material such as rubberized polymer may be provided on allor selected portions of cargo surface 52 to frictionally contact andinhibit sliding of items placed on cargo surface 52.

[0034] Removable or hinged enclosure panels 64, as depicted in FIG. 2,may be provided to partially or completely enclose cargo area 54. Panels64 may be provided with a latch handle 66 to enable securing of thepanels 64 in place. Additionally, panels 64 may be equipped with a lock68 integral with latch handle 66 as depicted, or as a separate assembly.

[0035] Each wing portion 24, 26, has a wing frame 70 constructed from apair of longitudinal members 72 and a number of spanning lateral members74. Purlins 76 are again provided for stabilization and support of thelateral members 74. Each wing portion 24, 26, has a deck 78, that formsa portion of performance surface 48.

[0036] The lightweight character of portable stage 20 is obtained, inpart, by the selection of materials for chassis 30 and wing portions 24,26. It is preferred that rectangular or square aluminum tubing be usedfor upper frame 34, lower frame 36, and the wing frames 70. Although thevarious component members can be fastened together in any suitablemanner, all-welded construction is preferred for cost, strength,durability and weight purposes. The preferred sizes of each member maybe selected using standard structural engineering methods. Thestructural components of the stage are preferably designed so that theperformance surface has a design load bearing capacity of at least about150 pounds per square foot with a design deflection of no greater thanL/240.

[0037] Also in keeping with the lightweight character and relatively lowcost of the device, it is preferred that upper deck 46, lower deck 50,and wing decks 78 be formed from aluminum sheet material of suitablethickness so as to have appropriate load and deflection characteristics.Other metal, polymer or composite sheet materials having the appropriatestrength and weight properties may also be used for decks 46, 50, 78. Alayer 80 of a high-friction material such as rubberized polymer may beprovided on all or selected portions of performance surface 48 tofrictionally contact and inhibit sliding of items on performance surface52 and to prevent slips and falls. Again, one or more slotted tie downstrips 58, such as airliner tracks may be fastened to performancesurface 48 to facilitate securing cargo for transport. Removable covers58 a may be provided as depicted in FIG. 13 to cover tie down strips 58when stage 20 is used for performances, so as to alleviate any trippinghazard.

[0038] The hinged connection of wing portions 24, 26, with main portion22 enables the wings to be folded in an upright towing position asdepicted best in FIG. 2, or deployed in a performance position asdepicted in FIG. 14. Hinge 28 may be a continuous hinge fastened to theouter lateral surface of upper frame 34 and the inner lateral surface ofeach wing portion 24, 26. Alternatively, any other arrangement thatenables hinging motion of wing portions 24, 26, with respect to mainportion 22, including a number of smaller, separate hinges or one ormore strips of flexible, resilient material, may be used.

[0039] Chassis 30 presents a maximum width dimension, annotated W1 inthe Figures. To optimize the available width of performance surface 48while enabling legal towing of stage 20 over public roads, it isgenerally preferred that chassis 30 present a maximum width dimension W1close to the maximum legal width dimension for trailers in the locationswhere stage 20 will be used. Consequently, it is also generallypreferred that the overall width W2 of stage 20, when wing portions 24,26, are positioned in the towing position, be no greater than the widthW1 of chassis 30.

[0040] The folding motion of wing portions 24, 26, may be assisted by alifting device 86, such as gas cylinder 88. Gas cylinder 88 is pivotallyattached to an upper cylinder mount 90 on wing frame 70, and pivotallyattached to a lower cylinder mount 92 on chassis 30. Gas cylinders 88bias wing portions 24, 26, toward the towing position depicted best inFIG. 9. The biasing force supplied by gas cylinders 88 works to assist auser in raising and lowering the wing portions 24, 26. For best results,it is currently preferred that gas cylinders 88 be selected, based onthe weight and size of the wing portion, so that a force of no more than100 pounds applied to the outer edge of the wing portion is necessaryfor either raising or lowering the wing. To resist movement of wings 24,26, from wind or shock forces during transport, removable wing braces 94may be installed to brace and support the wings in the towing positionas depicted in FIGS. 5 and 13. Wing braces 94 may be held in place withthreaded fasteners or with any other suitable means.

[0041] Each wing portion 24, 26, when deployed as depicted in FIG. 3, issupported by hinge 28 at inner edge 96 and by folding wing support legs98 at outer edge 100. Each wing support leg 98, depicted best in FIGS.10 and 11, generally includes a hollow upper leg 102 and a hollow lowerleg 104. The inner cross-section of upper leg 102 is dimensioned so asto slidingly receive lower leg 104 axially within. At the bottom end 106of lower leg 104 is foot assembly 108, which generally includes anattachment portion 110 in the form of a web 112 and a ground-engagingplate 114. Foot assembly 108 is pivotally attached to lower leg 104 atpivot 115, enabling foot assembly 108 to be folded so that the planeformed by ground-engaging plate 114 parallels the longitudinal axispresented by lower leg 104, designated a-a in the Figures. In apreferred embodiment ground-engaging plate 114 has an area of at leastabout 35 square inches to enable appropriate load spreading and preventthe leg from sinking into soft ground. At the top end 116 of upper leg102 is upper leg bracket 118, which is attached to wing frame 70. Upperleg bracket 118 is pivotally attached to upper leg 102 at pivot 120, sothat wing support leg 98 may be folded substantially parallel with thewing frame 70. Latches, clips or other fastening devices, such as straps119, may be provided to secure the wing support legs 98 against wingframe 70 when the stage 20 is in transport.

[0042] The length of each wing support leg 98 may be adjustable. Lowerleg 104 has a series of regularly-spaced apertures 122 formedtherethrough. It is preferred that apertures 122 be formed approximately¼″ apart so as to enable a sufficiently fine degree of adjustment. Upperleg 102 has a single corresponding aperture 124. Apertures 122 andaperture 124 are dimensioned so as to receive a pin 126, and enable itsinsertion therethrough. Pin 126 has a handle 130. In use, lower leg 104may be slid in and out of upper leg portion 102 until the desired lengthis reached. The nearest aperture 122 may then be aligned with aperture124, and pin 126 may be inserted though the apertures 124, 126, so thatdistal end 128 of pin 126 projects through the opposite side of wingsupport leg 98 from which it was inserted. When it is desired toreadjust the length of the wing support leg 98, pin 126 may be withdrawnby pulling handle 130 away from leg 98. The length of each wing supportleg 98 may thereby be adjusted to accommodate ground of varyingelevation, while still maintaining the wing portion 24, 26, in a stable,level condition.

[0043] It is currently anticipated that the entire lightweight portablestage apparatus will preferably have an empty weight of from about 1,800pounds to about 3,200 pounds, dependent on the number of axles and thearea of the performance surface provided. The gross vehicle weight forthe stage, fully loaded with cargo, is anticipated to preferably be fromabout 3,000 pounds to about 7,000 pounds. It is anticipated that thesize of the performance surface 48 may range up to about 400 square feetin area. Stage 20 is capable of being towed by a light tow vehicle,generally including half-ton or even quarter-ton pickup trucks and vans.

[0044] Main portion 22 may be stabilized in place and leveled usingjacks 132 disposed at each of the four corners 134 of main portion 22,as is best depicted in FIGS. 2-4 and 14. Jacks 132 may be any type ofjack as are well-known in the art and commonly used for trailer levelingapplications. Each jack 132 includes an upper body portion 136, and alower body portion 138 axially movable within upper body portion 136.Crank handle 140 is attached at the upper end of upper body portion 136.Rotary cranking motion applied to crank handle 140 causes lower bodyportion 138 to move longitudinally in and out of upper body portion 136,depending on the direction of rotary motion. Ground engaging plate 142is attached to lower body portion 138. Moreover, upper body portion 136is attached to stage main portion 22 with mounting bracket 146. Pivot148 is provided to enable the entire jack 132 to be pivoted up to ninetydegrees in the direction of the arrow, as depicted in FIGS. 2 and 4.Jack 132 may be secured to pivot 148 with a removable pin 150. Levelingindicators 152, which may be common spirit type levels, are provided ateach corner 134 of chassis 30, so as to provide a reference enabling auser to easily level the stage using jacks 132.

[0045] Stage 20 has features enabling it to be towed over public roadsby a light duty vehicle, such as an automobile or light truck. An axleassembly 154 is provided, and generally includes a pair of wheelassemblies 156 disposed at each end of an axle 158. Each wheel assembly156 includes a pneumatic tire 160 mounted on a wheel 162. Tire 160 maybe any suitably sized standard tire manufactured for use with a utilitytrailer, automobile, or light truck. Similarly, wheel 162 may be anyautomotive type wheel of suitable size and that is compatible with tire160, such as for example, a standard steel or aluminum automobile wheelwith a 4, 5, or 6 bolt pattern. A fender 164 is provided over each wheelassembly 156 to deflect road spray and rocks that may be thrown by thetires.

[0046] Each wheel assembly 156 is bolted or otherwise attached to a hub166. The hubs 166 are fastened to opposite ends of axle assembly 158.Axle 158, which may be any axle assembly of a type commonly used fortrailers, is secured with U-bolts 168 to a pair of leaf springs 170.Leaf springs 170 are, in turn, attached to the underside of chassis 30,and provide a spring suspension for absorbing road shock and vibrationduring towing. Although not depicted, shock absorbers may also be addedto provide dampening for the springs and a smoother ride quality. Ofcourse, it will be appreciated that any other suitable known suspensionarrangement may be used. For example, coil springs, coil-over shockabsorbers, struts, torsion bars, or any other resilient suspensionelement may be used in place of leaf springs 170. Axle assembly 158 mayalso be rigidly mounted to chassis 30, although ride quality would beseverely degraded. Moreover, axle assembly 158 may be replaced, forexample, by a differential assembly, or hubs 166 may be independentlysuspended. Electric or hydraulic brakes may be provided in hubs 166 toprovide suitable stopping ability for the device. A second, tandem, axleassembly 172 may also be provided to increase the load capacity of thedevice, as depicted in FIG. 1.

[0047] At the front of chassis 30, hitch assembly 174 is provided as ameans of attaching the stage 20 to a tow vehicle 208 for purposes oftowing. Hitch assembly 174 generally includes a tongue 178 and a ballreceiver 180. As depicted in FIG. 3, ball receiver 180 is a standardcomponent as is commonly used with utility trailers, and is adapted tofit over a ball 182 attached to the towing vehicle. Although anysuitably sized ball may be used, it is currently anticipated that a2{fraction (5/16)}″ inch ball will provide the best results. Latch 184secures ball receiver 180 over ball 182. A hitch jack 185 may beprovided on tongue 178 to elevate and support hitch assembly 174 duringhitching and unhitching operations. Hitch jack 185 has a ground engagingwheel 186, which has a suitable ground contact patch so as to spread thetongue weight and prevent the jack from sinking into soft ground. Thehitch jack 185 operates in a similar fashion to screw jacks 132 aspreviously described, and is raised and lowered by rotary motionimparted to crank 188. Hitch jack 185 may be detachable to enable hitchassembly 174 to be retractable as depicted in FIGS. 5-8.

[0048] Hitch assembly 174 may be retractable to a position underneathchassis 30, as depicted best in FIGS. 5-8, so as to enable theattachment of additional platform sections as will be further describedherein below, and to facilitate access around the perimeter of stage 20.In this embodiment, hitch housing 190 is attached to chassis 30 belowlower deck 50. Hitch housing 190 has sides 192, bottom panel 194, and anopen front 196. Hitch assembly 174 is received in hitch housing 190,extending through open front 196, and is slidable fore-and aft asdepicted in FIG. 7. Hitch assembly 174 is selectively positionable in afirst extended towing position wherein hitch assembly 174 extendsforwardly from chassis 30 as depicted in FIG. 7, and a second retractedor stowed position wherein all or a substantial portion of hitchassembly 174 is within housing 190 beneath lower deck 50 as depicted inFIG. 8. Pins 198 extend through apertures 200 in housing 190 on eachside 192, engaging corresponding apertures (not depicted) in hitchassembly 174 to secure it in place when hitch assembly 174 is positionedin the extended position as depicted in FIG. 7. Cutout 202 may beprovided to facilitate access to hitch assembly 174 for positioning.

[0049] Hitch assembly 174 may also include a suitable electricalconnection cable 204 for connection with a vehicle electrical system toprovide power and signals for running lights 205 and the brakes. Safetychains may also be included.

[0050] It will be appreciated that a variety of alternatives to thedescribed ball hitch arrangement exist for attaching the lightweightportable stage to a vehicle. For example, a pintle hitch or gooseneckarrangement could be used, with a suitably equipped towing vehicle.

[0051] The operation and use of stage 20 may now be understood withreference to FIGS. 1-19. With the stage 20 configured for towing asdepicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, an individual user may hitch the stage 20 toa suitably equipped vehicle 208 by elevating hitch jack 185 to asufficient height so as to clear the vehicle ball 182, positioning thevehicle 208 so that the ball 182 is under ball receiver 180, loweringhitch jack 185 so that ball receiver 180 engages ball 182, and closinglatch 184 to secure ball 182 in place. Stage 20 may then be towed to adesired location using vehicle 208. Once in location, stage 20 may beunhitched from vehicle 208 by the user using the reverse of theprocedure described above. Jacks 132 are lowered so as to engage theground surface, and the stage is leveled using jacks 132 and withreference to leveling indicators 152. Once main portion 22 is leveled,wing portions 24, 26, may then be unlatched and lowered into a positiongenerally coplanar with upper deck 46 of main portion 22, formingperformance surface 48. Wing portions 24, 26, are lowered by graspingouter edge 210 and pulling downward. Gas cylinders 88 provide aresisting force so as to support a portion of the weight of wingportions 24, 26, and enable an individual user to easily support wing24, 26, as it lowers. Once each wing portion 24, 26, is lowered, wingsupport legs 98 may be pivoted downward and adjusted for length so thatplate 114 of each leg engages the ground and the wing portion issubstantially level with upper deck 46.

[0052] Suitable accessories, for example steps 210, and railings 212 maybe attached to stage 20 as desired. Each section 214 of railing 212generally includes a pair of uprights 216 connected by a top rail 218, amid-rail 220, and a lower rail 221. Each upright 216 has a c-clampassembly 222 for attaching to stage 20. C-clamp assembly 222 generallyincludes upper jaw 224, which may welded directly to upright 216, and alower jaw portion 226 which slides over lower end 228 of upright 216.Lower jaw portion 226 has notch 230, which is dimensioned to receivestructural member 232 at an edge of stage 20, which may be part of upperframe 34 of chassis 30 or of wing frame 70. Lower jaw portion 226 alsoincludes threaded t-handle lever 234, which is slidable in elongate slot236. Once upper jaw 224 and lower jaw portion 226 are engaged around anedge of stage 20, threaded t-handle lever 234 may be slid under lowerjaw portion 226 and tightened to clamp structural member 232 tightlybetween upper jaw 224 and lower jaw portion 226, thereby securingrailing section 214 on the edge of stage 20. Accessories, includingsteps 210 and railing sections 214 may stowed in cargo area 54 or onupper deck 46 and secured with tie down straps to prepare stage 20 fortransport.

[0053] As an alternative to railing 212 described above, a railing as isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,550 may be used. U.S. Pat. No.5,263,550 is commonly owned by the assignee of the present invention,and is hereby fully incorporated herein by reference.

[0054] In addition, a weather protective canopy may be deployed to coverthe performance surface 48 as depicted in FIG. 19. As depicted, fabriccanopy 242 is supported and secured in tent-like fashion over alightweight space frame 244. It is currently preferred that fabriccanopy be fashioned from canvas, but other suitable materials such asrip-stop nylon may also be used.

[0055] A fabric towing cover 246 may be provided to cover and protectstage 20 from moisture and road debris when stage 20 is configured fortowing. Cover 246 may be secured to chassis 30 with straps 248.

[0056] Moreover, the available area of performance surface may beincreased by positioning one of more stages 20 in proximity to eachother, or by using modular stage components such as are disclosed anddepicted in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,848,501 and 6,106,186, both of which arecommonly owned by the assignee of the present invention, and both ofwhich are hereby fully incorporated by reference herein. As will beappreciated, the attachment apparatus and methods disclosed therein maybe applied to attach multiple lightweight portable stages 20 together,and to attach modular components to the stages.

[0057] As will also be appreciated, a variety of alternativeconfigurations of the lightweight portable stage are possible. Althoughthe embodiments depicted herein include a main portion 22 with a pair oflaterally disposed wing portions, 24, 26, embodiments having no wingportions, one wing portion, or any other number of wing portions arealso possible. As an alternative, wing portions could also be configuredso as to fold outward from the fore and/or aft ends of the chassis ifdesired.

[0058] The present invention has been described with respect toparticular illustrative embodiments. It is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the above-described embodiments andmodifications thereto, and that various changes and modifications may bemade by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A portable stage system adapted for towing by atow vehicle, the system comprising: a chassis portion having a pair ofground engaging wheels and a pair of vertically spaced apart decksincluding a generally planar upper deck and a lower deck, the pair ofdecks defining a cargo space therebetween for storing and transportingcargo, the chassis portion presenting a chassis width dimension; and atleast one generally planar wing deck operably coupled to the chassisportion, the at least one wing deck being selectively shiftable betweena first favored position adjacent and substantially coplanar with theupper deck of the chassis portion and a second favored position fortowing wherein the system presents a towing width dimension, the towingwidth dimension being equal to or less than the chassis width dimension.2. The portable stage system of claim 1, further comprising at least oneselectively deployable accessory item.
 3. The portable stage system ofclaim 2, wherein the at least one selectively deployable accessory itemis selected from the group consisting of a guardrail, a railing, astair, a canopy, and a modular stage component.
 4. The portable stagesystem of claim 2, wherein the at least one selectively deployableaccessory item is adapted to be stowable in said cargo space.
 5. Theportable stage system of claim 1, wherein the lower deck has a pluralityof tie-down structures for securing cargo.
 6. The portable stage systemof claim 1, further comprising a plurality of closure panels forenclosing the cargo space.
 7. The portable stage system of claim 1,further comprising a hitch on the chassis portion for coupling the stagesystem to the tow vehicle.
 8. The portable stage system of claim 7,wherein the hitch portion is selectively operably positionable in afirst extended position wherein the hitch portion is projectingforwardly from the chassis portion and in a second retracted positionwherein substantially all of the hitch portion is disposed under thelower deck of the chassis portion.
 9. The portable stage system of claim1, wherein the chassis portion has a plurality of selectively operablypositionable leveling jacks for supporting and leveling said stage. 10.The portable stage system of claim 1, wherein the chassis portion has aplurality of leveling indicators for determining whether said stage isdisposed in a level condition.
 11. The portable stage system of claim 1,wherein the at least one wing deck has a plurality of selectivelypositionable support legs operably attached thereto.
 12. The portablestage system of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of support legsincludes means for adjusting the length of the support leg.
 13. Theportable stage system of claim 1, further comprising means for attachingat least one modular stage component to the system.
 14. The portablestage system of claim 1, wherein the stage includes a second wing deckoperably coupled to the chassis portion, the second wing deck beingselectively shiftable between a first favored position adjacent andsubstantially coplanar with the upper deck of the chassis portion and asecond favored position for towing wherein the system presents a towingwidth dimension, the towing width dimension being equal or less than thechassis width dimension.
 15. The portable stage system of claim 1,wherein the upper deck and the at least one wing deck are at leastpartially covered with an anti-slip material.
 16. A mobile stage traileradapted for towing by a tow vehicle, the trailer comprising: a chassishaving a pair of vertically spaced apart decks including an upper deckand a lower deck, the chassis presenting a chassis width dimension; ahitch assembly operably coupled with the chassis for selectivelycoupling the trailer with a tow vehicle; at least two ground engagingwheels operably coupled with the chassis; and a pair of wing decksoperably coupled with the chassis, each wing deck selectivelypositionable in a first favored position adjacent the upper deck of thechassis portion wherein the upper deck and the pair of wing deckstogether present an upwardly directed surface for performances, eachwing deck being further selectively positionable in a second favoredposition for towing wherein the system presents a towing widthdimension, the towing width dimension being equal to or less than thechassis width dimension.
 17. The mobile stage trailer of claim 16,wherein the hitch assembly is selectively operably positionable in afirst extended position wherein the hitch assembly is projectingforwardly from the chassis and in a second retracted position whereinsubstantially all of the hitch assembly is disposed under the lower deckof the chassis.
 18. The mobile stage trailer of claim 16, furthercomprising at least one accessory item selected from the groupconsisting of a guardrail, a railing, a stair, a canopy, and a modularstage component.
 19. The mobile stage trailer of claim 16, wherein thelower deck has a plurality of tie-down structures adapted for securingcargo items thereto.
 20. The mobile stage trailer of claim 16, whereinthe upper and lower decks define a cargo space therebetween, and whereinthe trailer further comprises a plurality of closure panels forenclosing the cargo space.
 21. The mobile stage trailer of claim 16,wherein the chassis has a plurality of leveling jacks selectivelyoperably engagable with the ground for supporting and leveling the stagetrailer.
 22. The mobile stage trailer of claim 16, wherein the chassishas a plurality of leveling indicators for determining whether the stagetrailer is disposed in a level condition.
 23. The mobile stage trailerof claim 16, wherein each wing deck has a plurality of selectivelypositionable support legs operably attached thereto.
 24. The mobilestage trailer of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of support legsincludes means for adjusting the length of the support leg.
 25. Themobile stage trailer of claim 16, further comprising means for attachingat least one modular stage component to the trailer.
 26. The mobilestage trailer of claim 16, wherein the upper deck and each wing deck areat least partially covered with anti-slip material.
 27. A mobile stagesystem comprising: a tow vehicle; and a trailer including: a chassishaving a pair of ground engaging wheels, a first deck, and means forreceiving and securing a plurality of accessory items, the chassispresenting a chassis width dimension; means for selectively coupling thetrailer with the tow vehicle; and a pair of wing decks operably coupledwith the chassis, each wing deck selectively shiftable between a firstfavored position proximate the first deck of the chassis wherein thefirst deck and the wing decks together present an upwardly directedsurface for performances and a second favored position for towingwherein the trailer presents a towing width dimension, the towing widthdimension being generally equal to or less than the chassis widthdimension.
 28. The mobile stage system of claim 27, wherein the towvehicle is a light truck.
 29. The mobile stage system of claim 27,wherein the means for receiving and securing a plurality of accessoryitems comprises a second deck disposed below and spaced apart from thefirst deck, the first and second decks defining a cargo spacetherebetween.
 30. The mobile stage system of claim 29, wherein thesecond deck is at least partially covered with an anti-slip surfacematerial.
 31. The mobile stage system of claim 29, wherein the means forselectively coupling the trailer with the tow vehicle comprises a hitchassembly operably coupled to the chassis.
 32. The mobile stage system ofclaim 31, wherein the hitch assembly is selectively operablypositionable in a first extended position wherein the hitch assembly isprojecting forwardly from the chassis and in a second retracted positionwherein substantially all of the hitch assembly is disposed under thesecond deck of the chassis.
 33. The mobile stage system of claim 27,wherein the plurality of accessory items includes at least one itemselected from the group consisting of a guardrail, a railing, a stair, acanopy, a modular stage component, and a shell.
 34. The mobile stagesystem of claim 27, wherein the first deck and the pair of wing decksare at least partially covered with an anti-slip surface material.